TOPEKA’S PREMIER PRODUCTION OF THE NUTCRACKER
With Topeka Symphony Orchestra
Join Clara’s adventures with the Nutcracker Prince, his army of toy soldiers, and their plan to defeat the evil Mouse King! Enjoy this dazzling holiday classic, performed with live musical accompaniment by Topeka Symphony Orchestra. Each year, we are proud to feature student dancers from Kansas Ballet Academy along with visiting guest artists from renowned companies such as Joffrey Ballet, Boston Ballet, and Ballet West.
2024 Featured guest Artists
VALERIA CHAYKINA
Valeria Chaykina received her ballet education at the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia. After graduating from The Academy in 2012, she joined Leonid Jacobson St. Petersburg State Academic Ballet Theatre as a soloist and later moved to Moscow where she joined Moscow Ballet, also as a soloist. In 2015, Ms. Chaykina joined The Joffrey Ballet and has performed numerous roles in classical ballets such as Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and Giselle. Her repertoire also includes other great works like Myles Thatcher's Body of Your Dreams; Jerome Robbins’ Glass Pieces; George Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments; Justin Peck's Year of the Rabbit and The Times Are Racing; Yuri Possokhov’s Anna Karenina; John Neumeier’s Sylvia; Christopher Wheeldon’s The Nutcracker; Nicolas Blanc’s Beyond The Shore; Alexander Ekman’s JOY; Krzysztof Pastor’s Romeo and Juliet; and Cathy Marston’s Jane Eyre. Ms. Chaykina has toured around the world performing in theaters in Spain, Italy, Japan, and Lebanon. She starred in the second season of Teen Vogue's Strictly Ballet online TV series and was featured in the June/July issue of Teen Vogue magazine.
XAVIER NUNEZ
Born in Caguas, Puerto Rico, Xavier Núñez embarked on his dance journey at age ten at The Hartt Community Dance Division in Hartford, Connecticut, becoming the first dancer in his family. He continued his training at the International Ballet Academy in Cary, NC, under Miguel Campaneria in 2010. In 2012, he earned the silver medal at the World Ballet Competition, propelling him to join the American Ballet Theatre Studio Company under the guidance of Kevin McKenzie and Franco De Vita. Mr. Núñez's path led him to The Tulsa Ballet in 2013, where he performed in productions including The Sleeping Beauty, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Cinderella. In 2017, Xavier took part in the Concours de Opera National de Paris, earning him 6th place and a contract for the 2017-2018 season with the Paris Opera Ballet. In 2018, Xavier proudly became a member of the Joffrey Ballet, a momentous step in his career. Since then, he has been privileged to grace the stage in lead roles, performing in acclaimed productions such as Yuri Possokhov's Anna Karenina, John Neumeier's The Little Mermaid, and more. Beyond his onstage achievements, Xavier Núñez's entrepreneurial drive led him to co-found Action Lines with talented peers Dylan Gutierrez and Eric Grant. He creatively directs and choreographs, aiming to fuse dance, education, and entertainment for a fresh perspective on the industry, enhancing its connection to our community.
Highlights
visiting artist program
Our visiting artist program is made possible by funding from Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts
Topeka Performing Arts Center
Tickets are available through the Topeka Performing Arts Center box office (10am – 4:30pm Tues-Fri) or online via Ticketmaster.
Cast members can access rehearsal schedules here